Bulk styrene polymerization initiated by diethyl 2,3-dicyano-2,3-diphenylsuccinate

The bulk styrene polymerization initiated by dl - diethyl 2,3 - dicyano - 2 ,3 - diphenylsuccinate (1) was carried out at 70 similar to 90 degreesC. A series of experiments with various initiators such as meso - 1, BPO and AIB N, were done. Results showed that the molecular weight of polymers generall y increased along with the reaction time under the indicated conditions for all of the initiators. But the molecular weight of polystyrene produced wi th C-C bond initiators was higher than that initiated by non - C-C bond ini tiators. The results might be related to the structural features of alpha - cyano - alpha - ethoxycarbonylbenzyl radical.